As we enter July, the start of summer is at least a month in the rear view, yet we still have over a month left to go… possibly more for some. The honeymoon phase of saying “good riddance” to the stress of May and welcoming beautiful summer nights and fun vacations is undoubtedly fading (or, perhaps faded weeks ago!) and the daunting overwhelm of “how do I do this for another five weeks?!” is quite possibly setting in.
If you’re like me, June starts with excitement about activities, camps and a little bit of free time, but toward the end of the month, fatigue is setting in. Kids are getting cranky from less routine and sleep, and July is looking much emptier. While a little more white space on the calendar sounds nice, the increase in free time has me a bit concerned, especially with my sleep deprived mind thanks to those aforementioned later summer nights!
I can’t promise more sleep or a clearer mind in the midst of fatigue, but with a few well-timed ideas and new routines in the house, I’m confident that you’ll maintain your sanity right through the end of summer and possibly even be sad to see it end.
Keeping the Kids Busy
Of course, summer camps are a popular way to get the kids out of the house and give mama a little quiet. But if your budget is zapped and signing up for more camps is out of the question, then you’re normal!
One option is VBS at a local church. While not completely free, the costs tend to be minimal. If you have older children in middle school or high school, they can volunteer (for free!). VBS couldn’t happen without volunteers, and they love energetic teens!
Adventure Passes through your county library system are another great way to get out and about without breaking the bank! Douglas County, Westminster, and Boulder (called a culture pass), just to name a few, all offer adventure passes which grant access into museums and various city destinations for free.
Some places like the Denver Museum of Nature and Science admit up to seven people with one pass, while Wings Over the Rockies admits four. Details for each destination are found on your library’s website. Adams County does not offer an adventure pass for cultural excursions, but they have a program for free state park passes.
Doing a search of your closest library’s offerings will help you learn more about what your branch offers. Even if they do not have a pass like these, story times, magicians and reading programs are just a few typical offerings from local libraries that can get you out of your house for free!
Creating New Routines
Remember you can keep your kids busy at home as much as you can at camp or the library. Even if no one lifted a finger in all of June and not a single page of a book was read, that doesn’t mean it’s too late to start! Having a quick family meeting setting some new expectations can happen now and new routines can begin that help everyone stay sane (yep, that’s right – they’re going a little crazy, too!)
“I’m bored” can easily grate on our nerves and fool us into thinking we need to make more plans or kick them out to their friend’s house (again). But, letting them sit with that feeling and forcing them to figure it out can be so, so good for them! Or, they may realize the boredom they’re feeling is actually their body asking for much needed rest.
But let’s be real, listening to “I’m bored” is maddening even if we know deep down that it’s good for them. That’s why I like giving them some options so they aren’t just wandering my house whining while I refuse to entertain them.
Reading
For example, I teach them rest is good for the soul by insisting on reading time every day – from 30 minutes for my second grader to an hour for my sixth and eighth graders. I don’t mind if this makes me a “mean mom.” It’s critical they keep reading in the summer, and it’s healthy to teach them to rest in the heat of the day. If you’re consistent and you allow them to read what they want (I let them pick), they accept it as any other rule or routine in your home.
Chores
Another way to keep them busy at home is to get them on your team. Create a morning checklist of everything they need to do (including a chore or two!) before privileges like playing with friends can begin. This way, even if the house isn’t spotless, it’s not a complete pit and you aren’t going crazy that they aren’t helping. Kids of all ages are capable of doing something to contribute beyond just their daily hygiene. (I use extra chores as their summer consequences, too. Helps me keep the house in order while they learn a lesson or two!)
If you work from home, or just need help, that’s OK! There’s nothing wrong in admitting you could use a mommy’s helper! Summer is perfect, too, with teenagers being out of school and college students being home. Put a search out on your neighborhood Facebook page and see if anyone is looking to make a little extra money. Since you would still be home but just need help so you can focus on things besides the kids, you could offer a rate a bit lower than the usual babysitting fee and pay a teen to entertain the kids, get their snacks, etc. while you focus on the work or project that needs your attention.
Find Summer Joy
When all else fails, and the house is crazy or you’ve taken the kids to five things in a row without a thank you, when there’s whining and fighting and you’re about to pull your hair out… look for the small moments of joy.
When you’re on a walk with the dog and the weather is beautiful, or your teenager who has spent hours in their room asks if you will make cookies or watch a movie with them. Savor the memories that happen in the chaos. Savor the memories that happen because of the lack of routine. The memories that couldn’t happen on a school night in the midst of homework and bedtimes or in the hustle and bustle of the 12-hour day out of the house.
As much as this part is easier said than done, it’s the key to all of it… Savoring the memories that the lesser structure creates is what will get us through, and dare I say, actually having us missing summer as the school year begins.
